Combined case and display-rack



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

.- D. J. O'SULLIVAN..

COMBINED CASE AND DISPLAY RACK- No. 362,035. Patented Apr. 26, 1887. F

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I M] ajfld h '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

D. J. OSULLIVAN.

' QOMBINED CASE AND DISPLAY RAGK. No. 362.035.

Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENNIS J. OSULLIVAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED CASE AND DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,035. dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed January Q2, 1887. Serial No. 225,212. (No model) To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DENNIS J OSULLIVAN, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Case and Display-Racks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is designed more especially for the display of tissue-paper, making also a handy and convenient retail case, and may be used to a good advantage in displaying fancy articles-such as hosiery, handkerchiefs, scarfs, and the like. i

The frame supporting a series of adj ustable rails, upon which the materials are suspended, is constructed substantially as shown in my application pending, Serial No. 197,215. In said application I show a horizontal frame supported upon legs, it being an open frame, and is designed to stand upon the counter.

The objection to said frame with many merchants is the space it occupies, and,being open, dust, flies, and insects gathering upon the goods has a tendency to soil them.

The object of my present invention is to overcome these objections,which I accomplish by making an upright case with glass door and back, the case being high enough to allow the rack to stand on its end within the case.

One end of the rack is pivoted to the case, so

that when filling the rack or retailing from it the rack may be turned down to a horizontal position, thus occupying but a small space on the counter, excepting when swung out of the case. WVhen the rack is turned so as to stand on end, the door of the case is closed, thus excluding dust and insects from the goods, which may be readily seen in the case through the glass sides, as will be hereinafter fully set forth; and my invention consists in the general arrangement of parts as specified, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an isometrical view of my invention, showing the rack swung out of the case. Fig. 2 is an end elevation broken away, showing the rack swung into the case. is an enlarged view having parts broken away, the rack being in position of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is an enlarged view having parts broken away, showing the rack in the position oi- Fig. 2.

In the drawings, D is an upright case; F, the top; 0, the counter upon which I mount the case. of the case. B is the back of the case, which I show to be ofglass; but when placing the case against the wall the back may be of wood. R is the display and retail rack, which consists of the side rails, C O, and end rail, 0. The rear endsof the side rails I pivot to the case by means of the bolts 15 i, passing through the case and the rails. The inner end of each bolt is provided with a washer, r, and nut a, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) and on said bolts the rack swings.

To keep the rack in an upright position when in the case and to cause it to swing out of the case gradually, I attach to the rear end of each rail 0 a coiled spring, S. One end of each spring is secured to the end of the side rails by means of a bolt or staple, 0. The lower end of said springs I secure to,the base of the case by means of screw-eyes or staples 6. (See Figs. 3 and 4c.)

To the upper or free end of the rack I pivot atff a swinging leg or support consisting of the arms at a and base t, all formed from a single strip of metal. As the rack is swung out of the case the arms n n assume a vertical position. WVheu the rack is in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the base 26 lying upon the counter O or support, the length of the arms a n and the point of attachment of the rack to the case should be at an equal height and sufficient to prevent the sheets of paper a, suspended on the cross-bars i, from touching the counter 0 when the rack is turned down to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The side bars, 0, are provided with a series of notches on their inner upperface to correspond with the series of notches e in the metal strip t, attached to the inner face of the bars 0. I locate the pivot-bearings o of the crossbars 1" in said notches, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each end of the bars z" is provided with the pivot or wire bearings o. The cross-bars Z is a glass door covering the front Fig. 3

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\ z" are formed of sheet metal, being once folded and bent over upon itself. (See Fig. 3.) This gives strength to the bar.

The sheets of tissue-paper a are suspended within the fold uponsaid bars, as in my former application. The bars are secured in the frame or rack by the cap strip (1, which I attach to the upperface of the bars 0.

In my former application the crossbars supporting the paper are not adapted to turn on their bearings; but in my present invention they turn as the rack is raised from the position of Fig.1 to the position of Fig. 2,whereby the sheets of paper on each bar are caused to fold against and to overlap the sheets of paper on the next bar below, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement, when the rack is elevated within the case, the colors are readily seen, and when the rack is turned to the horizontal position, the swinging of the bars 6 separates the folds of the paper, when any desired color or shade may be readily removed by lifting up the outer sheet of the series of sheets suspended 011 a bar.

I design using two racks in a single case,

each rack being pivoted to the case and adapted to swing out of the case in opposite direction. When using two racks, I place a door in the back of the case to allow the swinging out of the second rack.

Having described my invention,what Iclaim as new, and desire to cover by Letters Patent,

said case, said rack carrying a series of swing- 45" ing cross-rails for displaying articles, and a swinging leg, and the coiled spring S, attached to the pivoted ends of said rack and to the case, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 50 presence of two witnesses.

DENNIS J. OSULLIVAN.

Witnesses:

0. WV. RUssELL, B. F. WHEELER. 

